Fine Arts (B.F.A.)

100 Level Foundation Courses Credits: 12

• FINA P121 - Drawing Fundamentals I Cr. 3.

• (P121 is a prerequisite to P122)

• FINA P122 - Drawing Fundamentals II Cr. 3.
• FINA P152 - Introduction to 3-D Design Cr. 3.
• VCD P102 - Introduction to 2-D Design Cr. 3.

100 Level Foundation Portfolio Review Checkpoint

Students will submit a portfolio of 100 level Foundation studio work to be reviewed by department faculty at the end of all completed 100 level Foundation courses.

Art History Course Requirements Credits: 15

• 3 additional FINA 300 or 400 level Art History classes. Classes must have FINA prefix.

• FINA H111 - History Of Art I: Prehistoric To Medieval Cr. 3.
• FINA H112 - History Of Art II: Renaissance To Contemporary Cr. 3.

• (H111 and H112 must be taken in the first four semesters of study)

• FINA H311 - Art of the Ancient World Cr. 3.
• FINA H312 - Art of the Medieval World Cr. 3.
• FINA H313 - Art of the Renaissance and Baroque Cr. 3.
• FINA H314 - Art of the Modern World Cr. 3.
• FINA H323 - Ancient Greek Art Cr. 3.
• FINA H324 - Roman Art Cr. 3
• FINA H341 - Italian Renaissance Art Cr. 3.
• FINA H342 - Northern Renaissance Art Cr. 3.
• FINA H351 - Nineteenth-Century Art Cr. 3.
• FINA H352 - Twentieth-Century Art Cr. 3.
• FINA H363 - African Art Cr. 3.
• FINA H390 - Topics in Art History Cr. 3.
• FINA H411 - 19th Century Art I Cr. 3.
• FINA H412 - 19th Century Art II Cr. 3.
• FINA H413 - 20th-Century Art: 1900-1924 Cr. 3.
• FINA H414 - 20th Century Art: 1925-Present Cr. 3.
• FINA H490 - Topics in Art History Cr. 3.

200-Level Course Requirements Credits: 21

• FINA P223 - Figure Drawing I Cr. 3.
• FINA P225 - Painting Fundamentals I Cr. 3.
• FINA P231 - Sculpture Fundamentals Cr. 3.
• FINA P233 - Metalsmithing Fundamentals Cr. 3.
• FINA P235 - Ceramics Fundamentals Cr. 3.
• FINA P241 - Printmaking Fundamentals Cr. 3.
• VCD P105 - Digital Imaging Cr. 3.

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B.F.A. Portfolio Review

Each student must submit a portfolio of 200 level work to attain formal acceptance into the B.F.A. program. Each petitioning student must apply to present their work through the Department of Fine Arts office in the semester in which they complete all seven (7) 200 level Fundamentals classes. Each student applying for acceptance into the B.F.A. program will declare their area of studio concentration, i.e., painting, sculpture, with the understanding that areas of art can be interdisciplinary and flexible. The portfolio should consist of 15-20 works, with at least two works from each 200 level Fundamentals course. Consideration of work will be given by each student’s intended concentration area, i.e., printmaking majors should be able to show strong drawing skills. It is highly recommended that students seek faculty advice, especially from faculty whose area students are intending to apply, on which works to submit for review. Faculty evaluations will be based on a student’s strong knowledge and skills in:

• Showing competence in representational drawing of volume, pictorial space, and the depiction of the human figure. An understanding of linear perspective should be evident.
• The ability to compose aesthetic element of line, tone/value, shape, texture, color, and 3D form in space.
• Demonstrating technical and aesthetic excellence (for the 60 credit level) in your chosen major; i.e. drawing, ceramics, metalsmithing, painting, printmaking, or sculpture.
• (for 2D majors) drawing, painting, printmaking as well as the demonstration of competence and serious investigation in 3D media.
• (for 3D majors) ceramics, metalsmithing, and sculpture with competence and serious investigation in 2D media.

B.F.A. Portfolio Review Outcome

A student applying for acceptance into the B.F.A. program may be accepted, deferred, or denied. A student’s acceptance into the B.f.a. will allow them to advance into 300 level studio classes as a declared B.F.A. major. A deferred student will be asked to re-submit their portfolio for B.F.A. consideration after re-taking requested classes. A student denied entry into the B.F.A. program might wish to continue in the B.A. program or apply once again for entry into the B.F.A. program with permission from the department.

Advanced 300/400-Level Concentration Courses Credits: 21

• Complete seven (7) classes in declared Concentration Area. Students are allowed up to two (2) compatible upper-level studio classes in the concentration area with the approval of the Chair. Two 300 level classes must be taken before any 400 level classes in a given area. 400 level classes can be repeated to meet Concentration area requirements.

300/400 Level Studio Electives Credits: 12

300-400 Studio Electives                                                        

• Complete four (4) courses in elective classes.  Classes can be either FINA or VCD.  Usually these are classes outside the Concentration Area.

Senior Project Requirements Credits: 6

The Senior Project & Critiques:

The capstone event of the Department of Fine Arts B.F.A. program at IPFW is the Senior Project, which ultimately leads to the thesis exhibition in the spring. The senior project is a two-semester course in the student’s studio concentration area during their senior year. In this course, B.F.A. seniors will meet three times to critique artwork with the senior committee made up of all full-time Fine Arts faculty. Evidence of research, like sketches and studies, must be brought to each critique to enlighten the faculty on each student’s working process. At each critique, unfinished works should also be displayed.

Area Supervisors & Weekly Studio Meetings with Chair:

Before the start of the fall semester, students must choose a full-time Fine Arts faculty area supervisor, (Painting, Printmaking, Drawing, Ceramics, Metals, and Sculpture) to work with between the three group semester critiques. The goal is to initiate and monitor each student’s work, ideas, and progress, this must be within a classroom setting. However, when seeking clarification, all questions and issues regarding the Senior Project class must be directed towards the Fine Arts Chair, who has the final say.

The Department Chair will schedule individual studio visits with each senior.  These will be held on average of one each week, or when new work is available to view.  Please be prepared to cooperate with the Chair as schedules allow.

BFA Exhibition:

A cohesive and ambitious body of artwork (minimum of 4-5 completed ambitious works per semester). Student’s artwork created under P450 and P451 will ultimately result in the B.F.A. thesis exhibition at the fulfillment of six (6) credits. This exhibition must be reviewed by the committee before it is displayed as well as related publicity regarding the exhibit. The Fine Art’s BFA exhibition is held only in the spring semester as part of P451 Senior Project II. Students must participate in the installing and de-installing of the exhibition under the supervision of the Gallery Director and at the assigned dates and times.

Artist Statement:

The student must develop a written artist statement. This statement will be required each critique and include an artist’s projection, addressing their planned ideas for the project including the number of works created. The statement should also include insights to the faculty of the student’s influences, aspirations, and ideas. An electronic copy of the student’s statement must be provided to the Fine Arts Chair one week before the next scheduled critique. Students are required to send an electronic copy of their artist statement to all full-time faculty a day before each critique. There should be a noticeable development of the statement throughout each semester.  Students are expected to work with the Fine Arts Chair in revising their statements and must bring revised versions of the document to each of the critiques.

Grading:

Students in Senior Project will receive a final grade based on the following criteria:

• Body of cohesive and ambitious original works of art (minimum of 4-5 completed per semester)
• Participation in all critiques
• A clear artist statement developed and refined with the help of the Fine Arts Chair
• Evidence of research including sketches and studies, unfinished artworks must be brought to enlighten the faculty on each student’s working process to each critique
• Participation in the installing and de-installing the exhibition under supervision of the Gallery Director and at the assigned dates and times (Spring Semester)
• Participation in the spring semester BFA Exhibition in the Fine Arts Gallery. Students must exhibit in the Spring BFA Exhibition to pass this class.

Final Course Grade:

Each full-time studio faculty members present during the semester senior critiques will issue a grade to the Fine Arts Chair, who also contributes a grade. The Fine Arts Chair will then average the faculty’s grades for a final course grade. 

Photography of Artwork:

The Fine Arts Chair will work with the students in the spring semester of P451 Senior Project II to schedule a photography shoot of artwork for the exhibition poster, postcard, and publicity.

• FINA P450 - Senior Project I Cr. 3.
• FINA P451 - Fine Arts Senior Project II Cr. 1-3.